The Indian Medical Association Goes Eco-Friendly (IMAGE) is ready to make its proposed biomedical treatment facility at Brahmapuram operational within six months, if the confusion over the allotment of land is cleared.
“We have shortlisted the agency for carrying out the environmental impact assessment and supply of equipment. But a government decision should come on the concessional agreement handing over nearly three acres under the Kochi Corporation in Brahmapuram on lease to the Indian Medical Association, Kerala,” said IMAGE Secretary Dr. Sharafudheen K.P.
If it turns a reality, the proposed common biomedical treatment facility will be the second such facility under the IMAGE after its maiden venture in Palakkad. “It will have the capacity to treat 20 tonnes of biomedical waste daily and can be upgraded to nearly 30 tonnes,” said Dr. Sharafudheen.
The project, which was envisaged in 2015, had got delayed after the Corporation took a position last year that land was not available at Brahmapuram, where its solid waste processing facility is located. However, the District Collector acquired three acres last year following a government directive as per the provisions of the Disaster Management Act in view of the need to have more facilities in the State for treatment of biomedical waste.
The request of the IMAGE for signing a concessional agreement with the Corporation that owns the land remains pending under the single window clearance of the government.
Mayor M. Anilkumar said the land belonged to the Corporation and it could not be given for free to the IMAGE. “We have two proposals on which the land could be given – either on a lease model based on the price of the land or on a profit-sharing model,” he said.
On whether the government had paid the money for purchasing the Brahmapuram land, the Mayor said the government had been recovering the assistance from the Corporation over the years. He said a decision on the parcel of land to be allotted for the biomedical waste management project would be decided by the council.
